Hydration: Drinking Water Isn't Enough

Hydration: Drinking Water Isn’t Enough

When we think of hydration, most of us picture drinking more water. While that's important, there's another layer to the hydration story—one that lives within our tissues. Welcome to the world of fascia, and the crucial role it plays in keeping our bodies supple, mobile, and resilient.

What Is Fascia?

Fascia is the connective tissue that weaves throughout the entire body. It surrounds muscles, bones, organs, and even nerves, creating a three-dimensional, continuous web that provides structure, support, and communication between systems. Fascia isn’t just passive wrapping—it’s dynamic, sensory-rich, and responsive to movement and pressure.

Fascia and Hydration: What's the Connection?

Fascia needs to be well-hydrated to function properly. A hydrated fascial system glides, stretches, and responds with ease. In contrast, dehydrated fascia becomes stiff, sticky, and restricted—contributing to tightness, aches, and reduced mobility. A classic example of this is in the fascia in your lower back- often an area of discomfort or pain.

Right now, I’m preparing to come out of a moon boot after six weeks of immobilisation. It’s been a powerful reminder of just how quickly fascia can lose its elasticity and fluidity when we stop moving. My foot and ankle feel sticky, tight, and a little foreign—especially in the plantar fascia and Achilles tendon. It’s not just about rebuilding strength, but restoring fluid motion and sensory connection.

Fascial hydration isn't just about drinking water. It’s about how fluid moves through the fascial matrix—and that’s where targeted, fascia-aware movement comes in.The Sponge AnalogyOne of the easiest ways to understand fascial hydration is to picture a sponge. A dry sponge is hard, brittle, and inflexible. But soak it in water, and it becomes pliable and soft. Here's the trick: to truly hydrate a sponge, you first need to squeeze it.

Fascia works in much the same way. Gentle, rhythmic compression—through movement or using FAMO massage props—helps squeeze out old, stagnant interstitial fluid. Once released, the tissue is primed to soak up fresh, nourishing hydration from the surrounding environment. This restores glide and is the essential first step toward regaining elasticity in the tissue.

How FAMO Fascia Movement Enhances Hydration

FAMO (Fascia Movement) is designed to work with your body’s natural fascial architecture. It supports hydration through mindful, sensory-rich movement that:

• Applies gentle compression and decompression to the tissues

• Encourages fluid exchange within the fascia

• Reawakens sensory awareness through proprioception and interoception

• Releases adhesions and rehydrates stuck areas

• Balances muscle-focused strengthening with softening

My Personal Process

With time and consistency, rhythm will return—think of the rhythm when you walk—along with elasticity: the natural bounce and rebound I associate with my “inner spring,” especially in the feet. My four-year-old is the perfect example of this—fluid, joyful movement without hesitation!

For now, I’ll begin gently, knowing the groundwork for hydration and reconnection is being laid through:

• Continued stimulation of the soles of my feet—especially the plantar fascia—using massage props of varying textures, from soft to firm

• 90/90 shift folded—a FAMO favourite that supports ankle and knee range of motion while encouraging hydration and glide in the lower body

• Reawakening proprioception—restoring sensory awareness in my foot and ankle that tells my brain where my body is in space. I’m progressing from supported positions to standing—on the mat or using Pilates studio equipment

• Pilates, swimming, dancing with my daughter to our favourite tunes

• Mindset and self-talk—leaning into trust and courage as I take each step. Shifting from “My foot can’t do that, I’m never going to get better,” to “Yes, this is challenging, but it will improve—day by day.”

Why This Matters

When fascia is hydrated, we move with more ease, feel more connected to our bodies, and recover more efficiently. We can breathe more freely, stand taller, and experience a deeper sense of well-being from the inside out.

So, next time you think of hydration, remember—it’s not just what you drink. It’s how you move. Your fascia will thank you.